Ball-bearing railway-track curve.



- W. R CLARK. BALL BEARING RAILWAY TRACK CURVE.

APPLIOATION FILED TU-NB 12, 1908.

902,053. Patented 001;. 27, 1908.

WILLIAM R. CLARK, or JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK.

BALL-BEARING RAILWAY-TRACK CURVE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Application filed June 12, 1908. Serial No. 438,042.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM R. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jamestown, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ball-Bearing Railway-Track Curves, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a full, clear, and exact descriptlon.

The invention relates to track curves; and the object of my improvement is to provide a ball-bearing track curve, the construction of which is simple, durable, and effective in eliminating the friction. The ball-bearings are placed in a guide rail and bear u on the outer side of the wheel-flange, and tie novelty resides in the construction of the guide rail and bearing.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a track curve, preferably the inner track of the curve, showing the ball-bearing guiderail alongside of the regular rail. Fi 2 is a sectional view of the regular wheel-bearing rail and the guide rail, a portion of the wheel being shown in position upon the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the outer plate of the guide rail; and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the central plate of the guide rail; and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the inner plate of the guide rail. Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the ball-holes in the inner plate, showing the beveled sides. Fig. 7 is an elevation of a modification of the central plate.

Similar numerals refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 10 indicates the regular wheel be ring rail of the track which is preferably a common pattern of railway rail.

Referring to the curve of the track 10 a guide rail 11 is placed parallel with track 10 and a sufficient distance from the outer side of the track 10 to admit the flange 12 of the wheel 13 between the rails and allow said flange sufficient leeway to turn, yet holding the wheel 13 firmly upon the track 10. The guide rail 11 is constructed of the three plates 14, 15, and 16, which are held together by means of suitable bolts 17 in holes 18. Balls 19 are mounted. in said guide rail at spaced distances along the inner side of the curve of the guide rail. The bearings for the balls 19 are constructed in the following manner: The side of plate 14 is made smooth and fiat and hardened for the balls 19 to bear against. Plate 15 has square spaced openpress it back against the fiat plate 14 and away from the round bearing in plate 16. The s uare sides of the openings 20 in plate 15 wil reduce the frictional contact of the ball to the minimum so that practically the ball will be held between the flat faces of the wheel flange 12 and the plate 14, thus practically eliminating the friction or at least reducing it to a very low per cent.

It is also obvious that the cap 22 of the plate 16 covers the upper edges of the plates 14. and 15 and the joints therebetween so that foreign matter can not enter between these plates and foul the bearings. The square openings 20 give sufficient space about the balls to allow of the insertion of a sufficient quantity of graphite or other suitable lubricant for the balls to last for a considerable space of time.

It is also obvious that the size of the balls 19 and the thickness of the plates 15 and 16 must be so apportioned that the balls 19 will protrude through the round openings in plate 16 sufficient to receive the pressure of the wheel flange 12.

The modified form of the openings 20 shown. at 23 in Fig. 7 allows of a square sided punch being provided which will provide the four flat sides of the opening for the ball 19 to bear against, but which does not necessitate the cutting or punching of the square corners in order to make the square holes 20, thus greatly reducing the cost of manufacture and providing equally good form for the opening in plate 15, for it is obvious that when the ball is pressed back slightly from contact with the round. beveled opening in plate 16 by the pressure of the wheel flange 12, the reduction of friction is accomplished by means of the lessened contact of the sides ofthe opening in the plate 25. The flattened sides 24 of the opening 23 attain this purpose. Hence the opening, as shown in modified form, would. serve the purpose equally well and diminish the cost of production.

c P and It is obvious that great pressure will be brought to bear against the ball at times by the pressure of the Wheel flange. The four point bearing or four sided opening in the middle plate 15 is accordingly preferred since it bears against the four sides of the ball holding the ball firmly therebetween so that the ball will be greatly strengthened as against the crushing force of the pressure of the Wheel flange by being held on all four sides.

I claim as new:

1. In a railway track, a rail consisting of, a plate having spaced openings conforming to the shape of a ball and extending therethrough, a middle plate having correspondingly spaced openings therein forming fourpoint bearings for the balls, a third plate having a fiat hardened face opposite said openings, balls in said openings, and suitable bolts to unite said plates in a rail.

2. In a railway track, a rail composed of three plates bolted together, the plate adjacent the Wheel flange having the spaced round openings extending therethrough, the middle plate having squared openings therein spaced to correspond With said round openings, the outer plate having a flat face opposite said square and round openings, and balls in said Openings.

3. In a railway track curve, a Wheel bearing rail, a guide rail alongside said Wheel bearing rail, said guide rail composed of three plates bolted together, the plate adjacentsaid Wheel bearing rail having spaced round openings therethrough conforming to the form of a ball, the middle plate having square openings therein spaced to correspond with said round openings, the third plate having a hardened face opposite said square openings, and balls in said openings protruding through the face of said guide rail, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

1. In a railway track curve, a track rail 10, a guide rail 11 alongside said track rail composed of plates 14 15 and 16 united by bolts 17, said plate 16 having spaced round openings 21 conforming to the shape of the ball, said plate 15 having square openings 20 spaced to correspond with said round openings, said plate 14 having a flat hardened face opposite said spaced openings, and balls 19 in said openings, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM R. CLARK.

Witnesses A. W. KETTLE, I. A. ELLSWORTH. 

